There are many possible applications where highly filled water based systems would be cheaper and safer to use than materials currently used in such applications, but their employment has been limited by their lack of retention of adhesive power when subject to attack by moisture.
Such applications include ceramic tile adhesives, wood fillers, metal fillers, grouts, external coatings, paints, wallpaper, clay coating etc. In most of these applications the ratio of filler to polymer is very high, of the order of 10:1, and attempts to improve the poor adhesion retention of such compositions when applied to substrates subject to attack by moisture have not been particularly successful. In addition, some have a poor shelf-life and tend to gel up on storage after about 1 month.
The use of zinc to reduce water-sensitivity in unfilled emulsions such as those used in floor polishes is known (U.K Specification No. 1254294). The zinc is introduced into the composition as a water-soluble complex or chelate, for example, zinc carbonate solubilized in ammonium hydroxide. The compositions are formulated so as to be soluble in alkali, and are said to display satisfactory gloss, water resistance, recoatability and removability and it is suggested that the presence of the metal ion renders the coating insoluble in water.